


Voicemail

by danmatian



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Anxiety, Awkward Flirting, Awkward Sexual Situations, Awkwardness, Car Accidents, Dan's a photographer, Don't worry it doesn't actually happen in the fic, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, I'll leave the smut tags out for now to avoid some spoilers mwaha, It's just mentioned/heavily themed, M/M, Phil edits videos, Photography, Pining, References to Depression, Smut, Strangers to Friends
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-05
Updated: 2018-09-09
Packaged: 2019-07-07 04:21:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15900795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/danmatian/pseuds/danmatian
Summary: After receiving a voicemail from a distressed stranger named Phil about his brother, Dan decides to reply and let him know he'd contacted the wrong person.What Dan and Phil don't know is that accidental phone call will end up being one of the best things to ever happen to both of them.





	1. Chapter 1

“Hey, Tyler, it’s Phil. I’m, um, just giving you an update on my brother, Martin. He’s not doing so well. We’re hoping for better news soon… I’m not sure what else to think anymore. So, uh, anyway, if you could give me a call back, I’d appreciate it. Bye.”

Dan listened to the voicemail three more times, trying to hear clearly in the busy Starbucks. Whoever this guy was clearly had the wrong number, but he felt so bad for him. Listening to his voice crack and his heavy sighs as he tried to speak broke Dan’s heart. 

“Who was it?” Dan’s best friend, Louise, asked, holding her tea close to her face. 

Dan fiddled with his straw in his coffee. “Some guy with the wrong number. He said his brother wasn’t doing well. He sounded very upset.”

“Oh dear. Do you think you should call him back? Tell him he had the wrong number? I’d hate for him to think whoever he was trying to call doesn’t care, you know?”

“Yeah… What should I say? ’Sorry to hear about your brother, but you have the wrong number’? That wouldn’t be rude?” Dan pondered. 

“I think it would be more rude to  _ not  _ return his call. Maybe even a text?” Louise suggested. 

“Yeah. A text sounds good,” Dan agreed. He went back to the missed calls log on his phone and tapped on ’message’ under Phil’s phone number. 

_ hey. i’m sorry to hear about your brother. unfortunately you have the wrong number and i’m not the person you’re trying to reach. i’ll keep martin in my thoughts and i hope for the best for him. _

Dan read the message out loud to Louise. “Do you think that’s okay?” he asked her. She said yes, so he sent the message. 

Two hours later, when Dan was back home from his lunch with Louise, he received a text back from Phil. 

_ Actually his name is spelled Martyn. But thank you for your reply. I appreciate it _

Dan felt like an idiot. 

_ so sorry about that _

To Dan’s surprise, Phil responded rather quickly. 

_ It’s no problem. It’s a weird spelling I know. What’s your name then, stranger? If it’s not Tyler. Or IS it Tyler and you’re another Tyler? _

Dan didn’t really understand why, but he felt weird about talking to this random stranger who he just met. He took a screenshot and sent it to Louise. 

_ is this weird? i feel like this is weird _

_ he probably just needs a friend. I think you should talk to him. at least make casual conversation for now. he’ll probably stop talking to you soon anyway _

_ is that a jab at me or him? _

_ I love you but your luck with new friends is very slim _

_ i hate you _

_ Love you too Dannyboy _

Dan reread his conversation with Phil. Maybe it wasn’t  _ that _ weird. He was just overthinking it. 

_ no my name isn’t tyler. it’s actually dan. who is this tyler you were trying to connect to? if you don’t mind me asking _

_ He’s my ex _

_ I know that seems weird _

_ I hope you’re not homophobic or this might get awkward _

_ it’s not weird! i’m bi so you’re all good. if you don’t mind me asking another question, did you ever get in touch with him? _

_ Yeah. Didn’t go well, but at least I don’t have some sort of guilt that I never told him over my shoulders  _

_ why is that? _

_ oh i’m sorry i’m asking too many questions _

_ It’s okay. I don’t mind. I actually would like to vent about it _

_ It’s a long story though _

_ i have plenty of time _

_ Well we dated for a few years. He was really close to my family. Probably closer to them than me honestly. My family still misses him, haha it’s kinda weird but whatever. Anyway i wanted to tell him about Martyn because Martyn considered him as kind of a brother. They were good friends. As our relationship went south he started spending more time with Martyn. I felt it was weird but ignored it. Luckily this isn’t some “sibling steals my man” kind of thing. They were just friends, Martyn has a girlfriend. He kept in contact with Tyler for a few months after our breakup but after Tyler moved they didn’t talk anymore _

Dan wanted to ask why the conversation didn’t go well. He also wanted to ask why they broke up and why he moved. He had so many questions for this stranger, but he didn’t know what was appropriate to ask. Instead of asking any questions, he kept his response simple. 

_ thats awful. i’m sorry. sometimes breakups suck and things get really awkward  _

_ The breakup wasn’t mutual. I always wonder if i was just never good enough for him. You know? I tried so hard to be good for him, but i guess that’s just how life is. I regret trying to contact him again. Salt in the wounds _

Dan frowned at his phone. Maybe Louise was right—he just needed someone to confide in—but for some reason he couldn’t wrap his head around the concept of sharing your struggles with a stranger you just met. 

_ I’m sorry for throwing this on you. You must think I’m crazy _

_ you’re all good. i understand how you feel _

_ why do you regret it? _

It was an impulse decision to ask, but Dan was intrigued and wanted to learn more about Phil. 

_ He’s an asshole. Responds with “what do you want?” when I tell him it’s me. I just said “it’s Martyn, he’s not doing well. He’s in hospital, if you would go visit him it would be appreciated. Not for me, for him” and he just says “why the fuck would I?” I said “nevermind, I just wanted to let you know” and hung up _

_ wow. that’s shitty. i’m sorry to hear that  _

_ Yeah. Anyway thanks for returning my call. Have a good day _

_ you’re welcome. you too _

Dan hoped for the best for Phil. He hoped his brother recovered. He hoped Tyler—the fucking asshole—would have a change of heart and go visit Martyn. Dan couldn’t imagine what it would be like if something happened to his brother, and he was stuck in the same situation as Phil. He would be devastated. 

To help clear his mind, he began checking his long-neglected email. Truthfully, he still didn’t give a shit about returning any of them. He had too much on his plate as it was trying to gather the energy and motivation to do anything. He always felt like a disappointment these days. 

Dan decided to eat some dinner and watched some random YouTube videos. It was a simple dinner—leftover chinese food from the night before. He should really learn how to cook one day.

He followed his dinner with his nightly routine of watching videos. On most nights, it continued with him watching videos into the late night and going to bed when his eyes started to burn when he was officially too far into the weird side of YouTube. 

Tonight was different, though. He started to think about Phil again. Thinking about the situation Phil was in made him feel really upset. It was so stupid to be hung up on something like a stranger’s issues, but Dan couldn’t help wondering how Phil’s night was going. Was he an early sleeper or a night owl? Was he awake right now? Was Phil thinking about him? Or Tyler? Or Martyn? Was he struggling to sleep, tossing and turning in bed as he thought about his troubles? Or was he fast asleep, dreaming of something nice and stress free? Was he okay?

Dan had so many questions still running through his head as he slowly managed to fall asleep. 


	2. Chapter 2

Phil woke up feeling strangely empty. Except, realistically speaking, it wasn’t exactly strange at all. He had so many overwhelming thoughts and feelings running through his head, and he didn’t know how to process them. Sometimes, not processing them at all and letting them be in the back of his mind—untouched and avoided—was the best thing he could do.

Phil reached over to his nightstand and grabbed his glasses, putting them on so he could check his phone. It wasn’t surprising that he had nothing interesting there. Truthfully, his only real friend was Martyn, but he was currently laid up in a hospital bed, unaware of the world around him. It was unfair, not only to Martyn, but to the people who loved him—Phil, his parents, his girlfriend, Cornelia, and his friends loved him so much, yet he was unaware of their presence, of their voices pleading for him to wake up, and of their gentle touches.

Martyn had gotten into a car accident a week ago. It was dark and raining, and his car skidded off the road, barrel rolling through the woods and colliding with a tree. His stubbornness—his goddamn stubbornness—came back to bite him in the ass. He wasn’t wearing a seatbelt, so the impact with the tree sent him flying through the windshield to collide with yet another tree.

Phil hadn’t realized he started crying, but now he couldn’t stop. His stupid brother should have been wearing a seatbelt. He should have been more careful. He shouldn’t have been driving at all. So many _should haves._ Phil should go see him today, but he didn’t have the heart to sit there and deal with that today. Today was one of those days where he just wanted to lay in bed and sulk. He wished he had a friend to invite over to pull him out his funk, but nobody really cared anymore. Most people only checked up on him because they wanted information about Martyn. They didn’t care about how Phil was feeling or if he needed anything.

Suddenly, Phil found himself thinking about the nice guy he talked to yesterday. Dan. It was brief, and granted, maybe Dan just was being nosey himself, but something was different about him. It was almost like he was making sure Phil felt like he _wasn’t_ prying—instead he was trying to…help?

Phil considered texting Dan again. He wondered if Dan would even respond or if he would think he was insane for texting him again. Against his better judgment, as if his hands were guided by a force that wasn’t his own mind, he texted Dan again.

_Hello stranger. I just want to tell you to always wear your seatbelt_

_always. safety first. how was your night?_

_if i’m being honest i thought our conversation was over yesterday_

_It was okay. Is it weird i wanted to text you this morning?_

_not at all. actually if i’m being honest again i was wanting to text you too but didn’t want to bother you with all the shit you're dealing with right now_

_I wouldn’t have minded receiving a text from you. For future reference here. If its my turn to be honest, i don’t really have any friends anymore lately_

_i don’t either. i only really have one friend_

_can i call you?_

Phil froze, staring at his phone. Dan wanted to call him? It shouldn’t be weird—Phil _did_ call Dan first after all—but it made him extremely nervous. This time Dan would answer the phone call. He wondered what Dan’s voice sounded like and if it was what he expected. He expected something gentle, caring, and calming; it would match the demeanor of his messages.

_sorry if that’s a lot_

_Oh! No it’s not. I’d like that, i could use a distraction right now_

Phil’s phone began ringing, and he wondered if maybe he should just not answer it. He let it ring a few more times before finally answering.

“Hey, Phil?” Dan said after a few moments of silence. His voice sounded like warmth; that was the first word Phil thought of to describe it.

Phil had to force himself to stop thinking about Dan’s voice long enough to actually respond. “Hey, Dan. How are you today?”

“I actually just woke up, so my day has been pretty boring so far,” Dan said with a laugh. “How about yourself?”

“I didn’t wake you when I texted you, did I?” Phil asked, worried. “My morning has been pretty shitty, honestly.”

“Nah, I was already awake. Just avoiding getting up. What’s wrong? Talk to your new friend.”

_Friend?_

“I was thinking about my brother. That’s why I texted you telling you to always wear a seatbelt. He wasn’t wearing one when he…yeah.”

“Shut the fuck up, Jesus Christ!” Dan shouted. “Oh, shit, that wasn’t meant for you. I was yelling at my fucking neighbors. They’re so loud. Protip: don’t move to London.”

“I live in London too, so I understand the struggle. Apartment living?”

“Yeah. My flat’s pretty alright, it’s just the neighbors are absolute shit.”

“I understand. My neighbors are so loud sometimes. They’re always awake doing some…interesting things in the wee hours of the night.”

“What if we live in the same building?” It sounded like Dan was joking, but the question hit Phil like a pile of bricks. _What if they were closer than he realized?_

“Well. What building do you live in?” Phil questioned, his voice low.

He listened as Dan told him where he lived; the _exact_ building Phil lived in. Dan even told Phil what floor he lived on—two floors above Phil. Phil was shocked and could barely believe any of this was real.

Of course, it didn’t have to mean anything.

“Phil?” Dan said calmly, breaking Phil free from his thoughts. “You weren’t saying anything.”

“Oh, sorry. I’m just kinda in shock we live in the same place. For some reason my brain can’t grasp that,” he admitted.

“It’s okay. But for some reason I feel like it might be some kind of…fate? And I don’t even believe in all that shit,” Dan said, chuckling softly.

“What do you mean?” _What did Dan mean?_

“I mean, I dunno, I figured… Nevermind,” Dan muttered.

“Tell me,” Phil urged.

“It sounds ridiculous. I just…feel like we have some kinda unspoken connection here. We met by chance, and we’ve only talked literally twice, but I feel like I _know_ you for some reason.”

Phil pondered for a moment. “Well, where are you originally from? You said you moved to London, right?”

“Wokingham. You? Or are you from London?”

“No. I’m from Manchester. Well, Rawtenstall. But I stayed in Manchester when I went to uni.”

Dan laughed and said, “So, I guess we have never secretly seen each other before. What did you study at uni? I dropped out after one year. Law school wasn’t for me.”

Phil smiled. He enjoyed getting to know Dan like this. “I got a Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Linguistics and a Master of Arts in Video Postproduction.”

“Whoa, that’s great! Smart guy you are.”

“I wouldn’t say I’m smart,” Phil said sheepishly.

“I would. You completed all those years of uni. That’s really incredible.”

Phil laughed. “If you say so. Anyway, I really enjoy talking, but I’m getting hungry and need to eat some breakfast before I implode.”

“Hey, Phil. Before you go, can I ask you something?”

“Sure,” Phil nervously replied.

“Feel free to say no, but I was wondering…since we’re literally only separated by a few floors and all…if you’d like to, um, hang out sometime? I know it’s crazy, but like I said earlier, I dunno, I want to get to know you.” Dan was nervous—Phil heard it in his voice.

He was nervous too when he responded, his voice shaky, “Yeah, I’d…like that. A lot, actually.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Do you want to come down here later? Or tomorrow. Or whenever you’re free. Whenever is fine for you. I work from home, so I’m never busy, really.”

“I can tomorrow around noon if that’s okay?”

“Sounds good. So, I take it you’ll text me when we get off the phone? Don’t forget to save my number,” Phil joked.

“I already have,” Dan said quietly. “I’ll text you. Bye for now.”

Dan hung up before Phil could reply. Phil felt more nervous now knowing that Dan had already saved his number, but he still didn’t understand why he was so nervous. He clutched his phone to his chest, sighing like a schoolgirl who just heard her crush liked her back.

Phil’s phone buzzed against his chest. He lifted it to check it—it was Dan saying he enjoyed their conversation. He spent the rest of the morning texting back and forth with Dan, only pausing their conversation when he had to start working on an edit he was already falling behind on. He spent the next four hours getting lost in editing a YouTube video for a creator who had hired him as her editor. He didn’t care for her videos—they were quite boring—but he enjoyed the editing process so he didn’t mind shuffling through the hour of boring footage to find less boring footage to keep in the video.

When Phil finally finished the final edit of the video, he sent Dan a photo of the footage rendering in his editor.

_Finally done_

_thank god. i was getting bored_

_I can assure you I was boreder_

_is “boreder” a word, mister english language and linguistics? also it’s really cool to me that you have a job doing the thing you love. do you ever get tired of it or wish you had something else though?_

Earlier in the day, Dan had confided in Phil about how lost he felt at the moment with his life. He told Phil about his previous jobs and how he had basically been going back and forth between pursuing his passion for photography and giving up. It made Phil feel sad, and sorry even, for Dan, because it made him realize how lucky he was to have finished university with degrees he loved and to have a job he legitimately enjoyed.

 _I like to be creative with my language. And sometimes. But I love it anyway, I just wish I had something bigger you know? More professional I guess_  

It wasn’t a lie, but it made Phil feel almost selfish to be telling Dan he wanted a better job than the one he so luckily had when Dan was struggling to get on his feet. It was hard for Dan to find opportunities with photography—people were stubborn and didn’t want to pay him properly or didn’t want to pay him at all. Instead, they would argue him down, saying their time was enough. He tried selling his prints online but failed to make a living. Phil suggested letting Dan use him as a subject, and he would pay him triple the rate, but Dan declined, feeling like Phil was offering a handout of some kind that he didn’t want to take.

_i get that. maybe when i come over tomorrow you can show me more of what you do_

_And you should show me more of what you do. You’re incredibly talented Dan. And I’m not just saying that because you’re my new friend_

Dan had sent Phil some samples of photos he’d taken around London, and Phil was shocked at how amazing they were. In all his years of video editing, he had never seen something so amazing. People tried to be artsy with their videography, but it always seemed forced and was never filmed properly. Phil meant it when he told Dan he was talented—it seemed to come naturally to him.

_of course :)_

_i’m excited i must admit_

Dan sent Phil a picture of himself smiling, and Phil’s heart dropped to his stomach.

_this is my “phil is too kind to me, a simple stranger he accidentally called, but i really don’t mind at all because i made a pretty swell friend” face and also i figured i should send you a selfie since we’re meeting and all literally tomorrow_

Phil smiled at his phone again, staring at the photo of Dan. His dark, chocolate brown eyes were so enticing. His hair was neatly cut, the sides shaven and his fringe curly. He had a baby face, yet still mature at the same time. His face was clean shaven, he had a few little freckles on his forehead and cheeks, and he had dimples on both cheeks. He was _beautiful._ Phil really didn’t know what he expected Dan to look like, but it certainly wasn’t that. He wanted to compliment Dan—his hair, his eyes, his dimples, his freckles, and his smile—but he didn’t want to run Dan off or scare him.

Phil quickly snapped a photo of himself to send to Dan.

_This is my “I’m glad I accidentally called the stranger I can now call my friend” face._

_your eyes are so blue! i could go swimming in those eyes_

_Haha, thank you but I really love your eyes_

_i think yours are fucking beautiful. wow_

Tomorrow needed to come quicker. He needed to meet Dan and see him in person. The stranger he met by accident was quickly becoming someone he was so intrigued by. He wanted to learn more about Dan—his interests, the things that made him happy, and everything else in between.

Phil spent the rest of the day buried in his phone, texting Dan and talking to him about video editing, dogs, movies, shows, music, and their plans for tomorrow. He learned Dan liked basically all the same movies, shows, and music as him, and sharing those interests made him feel closer to Dan. He loved that Dan loved dogs and wanted to learn more about Phil’s job as an editor. He asked Phil to show him how to edit a video and said he would show Phil the photos he took at the London Eye.

Phil couldn’t stop thinking about Dan as he went to bed that night. Even though they had said their goodnights an hour ago, Phil was still awake. He was so nervous about tomorrow. What if Dan didn’t like him? What if they didn’t get along as well as they did over the phone? What if it was awkward?

He needed to sleep, but he couldn’t shut his mind up. He put on some music and forced himself to keep his eyes closed until—hours later—he eventually fell asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Dan’s morning had begun with him freaking out about what to expect when he went to Phil’s flat later. He wished he was still asleep, but the excitement woke him up bright and early and hadn’t let him go back to sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Phil. He couldn’t stop thinking about Phil.

Dan decided to give up on sleep and take a shower to try and help calm his nerves. He trudged to the bathroom and turned the shower on, holding his hand under the water while he turned the knobs to adjust the temperature. When he got it to his liking, he stripped out of his clothes and stepped inside, allowing the water to spray on his back. He turned to face the water and let it spray over his face before turning back around and wetting his hair. He took his time wetting his hair, massaging his scalp. It felt nice, and he relaxed, his body becoming less tense. He worked his favorite tea tree shampoo into his hair and followed the same routine when he conditioned his hair with the matching conditioner. After rinsing his hair again, he lathered shower gel onto a washcloth and scrubbed his body, beginning with his arms and working down to his legs. He rinsed his body off slowly and stood under the water for a few more minutes before turning the shower off and getting out.

Wrapped in a towel, Dan ventured back to his room to raid his closet for something nice to wear. He didn’t want to dress up, but he didn’t want to be too casual either, even though it technically was a casual thing. He settled for his favorite pair of black ripped skinny jeans and a gray shirt that he would pair a black jacket. He wanted to make a good impression, and he wanted Phil to like him. He really wanted to make a friend in London—his only real friend was Louise, and she lived out of town. He also rarely got to see her; she was busy living living her own life and raising her children.

Something overcame Dan yesterday when he told Phil about his troubles. Although it made him feel pathetic, he felt like he could talk to Phil about anything. He laughed out loud at the irony of his previous thoughts— _why would someone share their struggles with a stranger?_ There was something about Phil that made Dan feel like he could trust him. Maybe it was his sweet, quirky personality, or maybe it was how Phil seemed to feel like he could trust Dan too. They both had their struggles in different ways. Maybe that realization made Dan feel like Phil was someone who could relate to him without having to relate specifically to his problems.

At first, Dan was envious of Phil. He had a great job and managed to not drop out of university—he even managed to get a Master’s degree, for fuck’s sake. But after learning more about Phil, Dan realized he was a silent sufferer. Phil was someone who could appear to be the happiest, most successful person he knew, but in reality, he had so much shit going on behind the scenes. Dan admired him for his ability to find positivity even though he was actually going through a lot more than he let on.

It made him feel bad for Phil. From what he’d quickly grew to understand about Phil, he was someone who felt like he wasn’t _allowed_ to show he was struggling. He was someone with an “I have so much good; I don’t have any reason to be upset” mentality. Dan, however, had the complete opposite view of the world—he was constantly struggling; success surely couldn’t be an option for him. It was a terrible mindset Dan struggled to shake, and it hindered his ability to let good things happen without question.

Dan checked the time on his phone. It was almost 11, and Phil still hadn’t responded yet. He started freaking out more—what if Phil wasn’t going to respond? He ran his hand through his hair and took a deep breath. _He’s just asleep._ For good measure—and out of pure desire that he would wake Phil—Dan texted him telling him he hoped he slept well.

Dan went back to the bathroom to fix his hair. Embracing the natural, curly state of his hair last year made the whole process much easier for him once he’d figured out how to properly style it. No more straighteners. He sprayed some heat protectant into his hair and grabbed his blow dryer, turning it on low heat. He leaned over, drying his hair at the roots and fluffing it, then took some pomade into his hands and styled his hair carefully, trying to make it perfect. When he was satisfied, he sprayed a little bit of hairspray into it.

Dan decided to upload some photos he’d taken to his laptop to kill time. They were just some random shots of people in the busy streets of London the other night, but he really liked how they turned out. The streetlights casted a perfect reflection on the pavement, lighting up their faces with hues of orange. He fiddled with some random adjustments on Photoshop for fun, making the photos look ridiculously bad.

In the midst of Dan’s fucking around on Photoshop, his phone buzzed. He grabbed it off his desk so quickly that he dropped it and cursed under his breath.

_Good morning! Sorry I just woke up! I should have been awake earlier, I need to tidy up before you come over_

Dan looked over at his pile of laundry on the floor and laughed.

_don’t worry, i’m a messy person so anyone else’s mess doesn’t bother me_

_Well that’s good because I can be messy at times. I just haven’t had much motivation to pick up after myself lately_

_don’t worry about it honestly. and if it does bother you a lot i’ll help you_

_Haha, no it’s fine._

_Do you want breakfast at mine? I’m not much of a cook but i want to treat my guest well_

_you don’t need to make me anything_

_But I want to. You a pancakes or waffles kind of guy?_

_i’m an “anything as long as it’s not crunchy nut every fucking morning” kind of guy_

_Haha same. Want to come over a little early and help me so I don’t burn the whole building down?_

_sure! i’ll be on my way in a min_

_Hurry :) I’m hungry_

Dan nearly sprinted to his shoes and slipped them on, zipping the zippers on the sides up. He put on his jacket and grabbed his wallet, phone, and keys and left his flat, locking the door behind him. He turned to walk down the hallway and paused midwalk. _The fucking photos. Shit._ He turned around, ran back to his flat, and fumbled with the key in the lock—he really needed a new set of keys—until finally, he got the door open. He grabbed his camera and ran back out, fought the door lock again, and walked quickly down the hallway to the stairs, clinging to the railing as he walked down them. He stopped after getting down one flight of stairs and took a few deep breaths before making his way down to the next floor. He looked around the hallway, looking for which direction he should walk in to get to Phil’s flat. _Left door. End of the hallway,_ he recited to himself, remembering Phil’s directions from last night. He walked to Phil’s door and took another deep breath. He raised his hand to knock, and before he could, the door opened.

Phil was standing in front of him. Phil was _actually_ standing in front of him. His first noticed that Phil was only a tiny bit shorter than him, and he was thin, yet broad, giving him an elder appearance than photos did. He was also _handsome as fuck._

Phil smiled, stepping aside to invite Dan inside. “Hey, Dan,” he said. “Come in.”

“Thanks. Hey,” Dan said when he walked inside.

Phil shut the door, and Dan stood awkwardly, not really knowing what to do next. Should they shake hands? Hug? He shrugged off the thought and instead asked, “Are we making those pancakes?”

“Yeah. You can put your camera and stuff down wherever you want, by the way. Make yourself at home.”

“I’ll, uh, just put them over here,” Dan said, walking over to Phil’s dining table. It was cluttered with letters and magazines. To Dan, random little things like that made a place feel like home. He thought of his own kitchen bar—photo prints, opened and unopened letters, coupons, and random shit were scattered across it.

“I already have the pancake batter ready if you want to start. Just be warned, I’m not the best pancake chef,” Phil said.

“I literally don’t care if they look like actual shit.”

Phil covered his mouth, stifling a giggle. _Could he get any fucking cuter?_ “Alright, well, let’s get started,” he said, leading Dan to the kitchen. He grabbed the bowl of pancake batter and handed it to Dan. “I probably went overboard, but I figured too many is better than not enough.”

Dan laughed loudly. “I agree with that one. Do you have a pan ready?”

“Yeah, it’s right here,” Phil said, handing Dan the pan he had sitting on top of the stove. He turned on the burner and walked over to the refrigerator to grab a stick of butter.

Dan set the pan on the stove and rolled up his jacket’s sleeves while Phil smeared some butter on the bottom of the pan. It began to melt and sizzle as the pan heated up.

“Want first dibs on making one?” Phil asked.

“Do you really want to give me first dibs, or do you just want to examine my pancake-making abilities? Because they’re shit.”

“Both,” Phil said with a chuckle.

Dan poured some batter into the pan. “Spatula?”

“Oh, right. That would be useful.” Phil grabbed a spatula out of a drawer and handed it to Dan. He took it and flipped the pancake. Some batter splattered onto the stovetop, and they both laughed.

“Told you I suck,” Dan said.

“It’s completely fine,” Phil reassured.

Dan smiled and picked up the pan. “Let’s do a real test, then. Think I can flip it like a professional?”

“If you drop it on the floor I promise to _try_ not to laugh.”

Dan rolled his eyes and flipped the pancake. He barely caught it, and it almost fell out the pan. Phil cheered, clapping dramatically and eliciting another eye roll from Dan.

“You’re not so bad at this,” Phil said.

“Yeah, maybe not. Plate?”

“Wow, I really wasn’t prepared. No spatula or plate,” Phil joked, grabbing a plate out of the cupboard for Dan. He held the plate out to Dan, and Dan slid the pancake onto it.

“Your turn,” Dan said, handing Phil the batter.

This time, Dan smeared the butter, and Phil poured the batter into the pan. He spilled some onto the stove when he moved the bowl away, and Dan laughed, handing him the spatula.

“Good luck flipping it, mate” he teased.

“Shut up,” Phil whined. He waited for the pancake to be ready to flip and flipped it with an intense look of concentration on his face.

“Try to flip it in the pan!” Dan said excitedly.

Phil gave him an exaggerated look. “Seriously? I’ll definitely drop it!”

“Come on,” Dan begged. “Just try.”

“Fine.” Phil tried to flip the pancake, and it went up way too high. Dan grabbed the pan with Phil, helping him catch it. Phil’s hands were cold, yet soft. He hadn’t touched Phil yet until that moment, and he didn’t expect to be nervous by a simple touch like that, but there he was, frozen and staring at their hands together on the handle.

“S-sorry,” Dan muttered, letting go. “I just didn’t want you to drop it.”

“No, it’s okay!” Phil quickly said. “Thanks for the help.”

After another thirty minutes of taking turns making pancakes, they finally finished. Phil heated up the plate in the microwave (some of the pancakes were cold now). While they were reheating, Phil grabbed two more plates and handed one to Dan. He let Dan make his own plate first then grabbed some for himself.

“Help yourself to some coffee or anything else you want to drink,” Phil said. “We can sit at the table or in the lounge. Either is fine.”

Dan hated making coffee at someone else’s house—the process was always different—but he made himself some anyway. He used a vanilla caramel flavored creamer he hadn’t tried before, but it wasn’t too bad, just slightly too sweet for his liking. “You like anime? I figured we could watch something while we ate. Or if you don’t like anime we can watch something else.”

“I do! Any recommendations?” Phil asked.

“Have you watched _Kino’s Journey?_ ”

“No, but we can start it if you want,” Phil said, walking towards the lounge. He brought up Crunchyroll on his Playstation and loaded up the show. When Dan sat down beside him on the sofa, he began playing it.

They watched three episodes while they ate and talked. They didn’t talk about much—just the same things they’d been talking on the phone about. Phil told Dan about another video he was editing, and Dan talked about some ideas he had for his next photography subjects. Dan loved being able to talk to Phil about photography. He appreciated having someone to talk to about it—someone who understood the professionalism behind it. It wasn’t just picking up a camera and taking photos. It was an art that took time to master. Dan felt thankful that Phil appreciated that.

Phil suggested they pause their anime binge to clean the kitchen. He loaded the dishwasher, and Dan cleaned the counter and stove. He scrubbed the dried pancake batter off the surfaces, wishing they made the effort to do it earlier when it was still wet. Eventually, it came off, and with the kitchen cleaned, they made their way to Phil’s office. Dan had asked Phil earlier if he would show him the process of editing, so when Phil said that’s what they were doing next, Dan was ecstatic.

“Sorry if it’s a bit cramped,” Phil said when they walked into the office.

Phil wasn’t lying—it was a cramped space. It was barely big enough to fit Phil’s computer desk. “Don’t worry about it,” Dan simply said. The last thing he wanted to do was make Phil feel embarrassed.

Phil sat down in his chair and turned his computer on. “I like the simplicity of it. It helps me relax.”

Dan thought that was silly, but he just didn’t like cramped work spaces. He sat down on top of the desk—there was no extra chair for him to sit in—and smiled at Phil. “I’m the opposite with that. My desk is in my bedroom.” He watched as Phil loaded some video footage into his editor and began watching it over, clipping bits out and adding bleeps over the swearing.

“To each their own,” Phil finally responded.

“I don’t understand why someone would swear in their videos if they want it edited out,” Dan said, changing the subject.

“Some people like making things difficult. It’s okay, though. I charge extra for this kinda thing.”

“Have you ever had someone ask you to edit something so ridiculously bad that you had to turn them down?”

“Actually, yeah,” Phil said, resting his head on his hand as he scrubbed through the footage half-mindedly.

“Like what?”

“I’ve had porn producers ask me to edit for them. They offered a shit load of money too.”

“Really?” Dan laughed. “Why did you decline?”

“I don’t necessarily like the idea of editing porn. Plus, it was straight porn. No thanks.”

“Oh, so if it was gay you would’ve done it?” Dan teased, his voice quiet.

Phil blushed—Dan pretended not to notice—and ruffled his hand in his fringe, readjusting his quiff. “No.”

“Just picking,” Dan said, giving Phil a sincere smile.

“I’m bored of editing this.” Phil sighed. “I’ll finish it later. Wanna show me the shots you said you’d show me?”

“Sure,” Dan said, leaving to grab his camera. When he returned, he already had the photos ready to show Phil. He flipped through the photos, allowing Phil to look at them.

“These are really good!” Phil said.

Dan liked that he could believe Phil when he complimented his work—his reactions were always genuine. He shut his camera off and set it down on the desk. “I would have uploaded them to my laptop and brought that over, but I kinda forgot.”

“It’s okay. I really like them anyway. You should definitely show me more.”

“You mean that?”

“Absolutely.”

“I believe you, it’s just, I’m just used to people telling me otherwise,” Dan muttered, fidgeting with the lens cap on his camera.

“They’re really good, Dan. I mean that,” Phil said softly. “Anyone who says otherwise is being a jerk.”

“I feel like I’m not making anyone proud, I guess.”

Phil turned to face Dan. “You’re making me proud. I know we just met, but I’m extremely proud of you and the things you’ve accomplished.”

Dan smiled. “Thanks, Phil. That means a lot.”

“So, let’s continue our anime binge?”

They spent the rest of the day finishing _Kino’s Journey._  When the last episode ended, Dan stood and stretched, yawning. “Did we really binge a whole series in one day?” he said.

“Looks like it. We may get along even better than I thought,” Phil said. They smiled at each other, sharing some kind of silent moment. Dan tried not to think too much into it.

“I should probably head out. I’ve had a lot of fun today.” Dan bit his lip and glanced at the floor before looking back up at Phil.

Should he ask?

_Fuck it._

“You should come over to my place tomorrow.”

Phil smiled. “I’d love to.” He walked Dan to the door and opened it for him.

“Well, I’ll talk to you later,” Dan said quietly before leaving. Phil shut the door behind him and he walked down the hallway to the stairs.

Dan wished he would have hugged Phil. Or even shook his hand. But he didn’t—instead, he let himself be an idiot. He wondered if Phil wanted that too. Maybe he was waiting for Dan to make the first move. When their hands touched earlier, Dan wished it lasted longer. Phil’s hands were inviting, his fingers thin and soft—perfect for Dan’s own to slip through.

He needed to stop thinking about that.

Phil smelled of some fancy cologne Dan didn’t recognize. Now that he was out of Phil’s flat—and slowly trudging to his own now that he was back on his floor—he could more vividly smell the scents of Phil that lingered on his clothes. His home smelled of peppermint and his mystery cologne. He should ask Phil what kind it was.

Once inside his flat, Dan flopped down onto the sofa. He missed Phil already. He wanted to go back down to Phil’s flat and hug him. He wanted to feel how Phil’s body felt against his own. He just wanted to see Phil again, even if they only watched anime all day and ate poorly made pancakes together.

Dan figured he should update Louise on what had been going on with him and Phil, so he took out his phone and sent her a text.

_guess where i just got back from?_

_Where?_

_phils house_

_Wait, Phil who called you like two days ago Phil?_

_yeah?_

A second later, Louise was calling Dan.

“What’s up?” Dan answered.

“Are you serious?” Louise exclaimed.

Dan furrowed his brow. “What?”

“You seriously went to hang out with him? You just met him, Dan.”

“Calm down, geez. You know people meet up with people they’ve just met all the time, right? He’s really nice, actually.”

“Maybe it’s my maternal instincts kicking in, but I just don’t trust someone so easily. And yeah, maybe they do, but, to me, it just feels reasonable to know them longer before meeting.”

“Louise, come on. I’m safe, really. There’s nothing to worry about. Besides, we’re hanging out again tomorrow.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive,” Dan affirmed.

Louise sighed. “Promise me you’ll stop being his friend if things ever get weird. I worry about you, Dan.”

“I promise. You have nothing to worry about.”

Louise started talking about something else, but Dan wasn’t really paying attention. He wanted Louise to be happy for him, not berate him like a child. Sure, she was looking out for him, but he was an adult, and he could make judgements about his own decisions himself.

They talked for a little while longer until Louise had to go and put her children to bed. The conversation made Dan feel upset, and now he was overthinking about everything. What were Phil’s motives behind befriending Dan? He needed to stop overthinking everything. Phil was a good person. Dan knew that.

Phil wasn’t just a good person; he was an amazing person. Dan didn’t need anyone making him worry. He trusted Phil and didn’t care what Louise said. He had nothing to worry about. Maybe Dan would never understand where she was coming from until he had children of his own, but for now, he felt like she was being a bit dramatic. She was the one who suggested he should text Phil back. She was the one who suggested he should keep talking to Phil. Why was she mad he and Phil became friends when it was her advice in the first place that sparked their friendship?


End file.
